So, they made me go to school for four days this week and do absolutely nothing. By yesterday afternoon I was feeling so bored and isolated I felt like I'd go mad. I am definitely not one of those people who can do a job just for money and be happy with it. I feel a bit really pathetic for finding having nothing to do so bad when there are people out in the world with problems and lived unimaginably worse, but there you go.
On Wednesday, five minutes before my finish time, Mr Baek tells me they need to cancel my upcoming holidays because they've decided to run more "spring camps". Yeah, two days before my holiday starts, they tried to cancel it. I was really polite and apologetic, but firm. I said I'd already booked tickets to Taiwan, so there was no way I could work. After about the third time, the message got through, and poor Mr Baek just looked really confused, and like 'oh crap... what do I do now'. So, me being the helpful person that I am helped him solve these problems that were so stumping him. Seriously - does the man have NO lateral thinking ability? He said that they needed three weeks of spring camp, two weeks for 2nd grade and one week for third. I asked how many students were in the 2nd grade groups. He said seven each. I was like, well why don't I just teach a class of 14 then, and cut it down by a week, then it all fits. At first he said no, that 14 was too many students. Then he just sat there for a minute, and then changed his mind and said that was a good idea. I also offered to work a Saturday afternoon. God knows why - I am too helpful for my own good. Hopefully my willingness to help earns me some points. So, I ended up having Friday off, my week for Taiwan, and then three days more holiday cancelled so I can teach two weeks of spring camp before the new school year starts of Friday March 2nd. Yeah, the new term starts on a Friday. I am bewildered.
Anyway I *thought* my kindness in working on a Saturday had paid off, as Mr Baek told me that for spring camp I'd only have to come to school for the hours I had to teach - which was awesome! Seriously, I have MONTHS worth of after school classes planned. There's only so far ahead you can get. So desk time feels very fruitless at the moment. So, I was happy with this deal. However, he tells me last thing yesterday that the principal says no, that it's the rules that I come in for eight hours every day. This is super frustrating, and really disappointing for me, but it's ok. If they're going to pay me for an eight hour day, that's totally fine that they want me at work for it. However, Mr Baek gives me my timetable, and neither of the weeks are actually made up of eight hour days... one is 7 and the next week is 7.5 hours a day. Soooo, if you can cut me down by an hour, why not make it two of three and save my sanity? God only knows.
The two weeks of class I have to teach are one 'smart class' and one 'horrible ugly class', Mr Baek tells me. Super. The 'ugly class', as he calls them, failed something or other, so have an extra week of English. Not sure what for - there's no curriculum or aim for this extra week, and one week of English class is not really going to improve their skills much. And the poor buggers have to be in class for five hours. Five hours of English class for kids who can't speak English? This is *not* a good idea.
But, aside from all that confusion and craziness - I'm going to Taiwan tomorrow! Woohoo!
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